Canada is receiving reinforcements for its World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico in Edmonton.
Captain Atiba Hutchinson, Cyle Larin, Milan Borjan and Lucas Cavallini return to the squad after missing October games. Hutchinson, Larin and Cavallini were dealing with injuries as Borjan, Canada’s number one goalkeeper, recovered from COVID-19.
And coach John Herdman has been able to add depth as a forward with former England youth international Ike Ugbo joining the group after switching his international allegiance to Canada.
“Ike is an exciting prospect,” Herdman said. “I think we are succeeding with his best years ahead. He was in wonderful form for Cercle Brugge last year and got a great signing for Genk (his Belgian partner KRC), I think his star will continue to grow. “
“For Canada, it’s just more depth,” he added.
Herdman describes Ugbo as an “absolute No. 9” who likes to lead the line and play between the two center-backs.
Returning veterans and Ugbo are joining the competition for spots on the team, he added.
The Canadians, ranked 48th in the world, play No. 45 Costa Rica on November 12 and No. 9 Mexico on November 16, both at Commonwealth Stadium. With home points at a premium, the November games are crucial with only two more left at home afterward.
READ MORE: The spotlight is on Alphonso Davies ahead of the Canada World Cup qualifiers in Edmonton
Canada (2-0-4, 10 points) currently ranks third in the Octagonal standings behind Mexico (4-0-2, 14 points) and the United States 13th (3-1-2, 11 points) Panama (2- 2-2, eight points is fourth) and Costa Rica (1-3-2, five points) fifth.
Ugbo, 23, a former Chelsea youth, joins an attack that already includes Larin, Jonathan David, Alphonso Davies, Tajon Buchanan and Cavallini.
Ugbo, whose first name is pronounced EE-kay, is one of seven Canadian national team players currently participating in UEFA club competitions, having already appeared in three UEFA Europa League matches. The others are Borjan, David, Davies, Hutchinson, Larin, and Liam Millar.
“He is playing for one of the best clubs in Belgium and he has a plan in mind for where he wants to go in his career. And Canada is part of that plan, ”Herdman said.
Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ugbo played youth soccer for Brampton East SC and Woodbridge Strikers before returning to England and joining the Chelsea academy at the under-10 level. Herdman said a contact in Woodbridge informed them in 2018 that Ugbo could play for Canada.
At the time, Chelsea said the young player was focused on England and had no interest in Canada.
“It has been a process of patience over a period of three years,” Herdman said. “The program has come a long way and I think the results of recent times have made a difference. Some of the players have also kept in touch with Ike. So from all angles, we continue to encourage you to keep thinking about being a part of this journey with us. It’s a special trip. “
He said he had a conversation with Ugbo recently and “it has been for the betterment of this country.”
November window injury missing are Junior Hoilett, Scott Kennedy and Charles-Andreas Brym. Hoilett and Kennedy were also unavailable in October.
With 88 caps, the 38-year-old Hutchinson is on the verge of surpassing Julian de Guzmán’s 89-year-old men’s national record.
The spotlight will also be on Davies, as he plays his first professional games in his hometown. He left at 14 to join the Vancouver Whitecaps and, having turned 21 this week, is now a global star with Bayern Munich.
Herdman says that although Davies has matured, he remains the same in many ways.
“He has had wonderful experiences that I am sure have shaped him. But I really feel like he just kept his identity. He’s that boy at heart. When he’s in the environment (of the Canadian team) he’s playful, he’s fun. When he’s on the field, I don’t think he’s changed either.
“What he has really been able to contribute is a winning mentality and speaking with a level of confidence, that anything is possible with this team. I haven’t seen a massive change, because you don’t want Phonzie to change. You want me to continue being him and all the good things about him. But it’s shaping the mindset of this new (team) from Canada and rightly so. He’s been there and he’s done it at the highest level. “
Canada is 5-8-9 against Costa Rica since 1985, including a 1-3-2 record in the World Cup qualifiers. The Canadians blanked Costa Rica 2-0 in the Gold Cup quarterfinals in July the last time they met.
Canada then lost 2-1 to Mexico in the semifinal, but held onto the CONCACAF powerhouse in a 1-1 draw in Mexico City on October 7, improving their record against the Mexicans to 4-20-9 (1 -12-8 in World Cup). Cup Classification).
The two sides tied in the previous two meetings at Commonwealth Stadium by the same score of 2-2, in October 1997 and October 2008.
Canada is 11-4-2 this year with eight clean sheets and a record 52 goals scored.
The Canadian men reached the final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the first time since the run-up to France ’98 after winning a first-round group that included Aruba, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Suriname. Herdman’s team then eliminated Haiti in a two-legged second-round series.
After the two games in November, Canada will play three more games in January / February and another three in March. The top three teams will represent North America, Central America and the Caribbean in Qatar 2022, with the fourth-ranked team participating in an intercontinental playoff to see who joins them.
Proving again that he leaves nothing to chance, Herdman revealed that he has already spent an hour talking with the Commonwealth Stadium outfielder about preparing the pitch, although he did not elaborate on what could or could be done with the artificial turf.
“I loved it because he will go out of his way to make sure the grass is good for Canada,” Herdman said.
The Canada coach says the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers are also opening the doors of some of their facilities to them. Canada Soccer says that nearly 40,000 tickets have been sold for each game.
“When you go to Edmonton, you feel like the whole city is behind you,” Herdman said.
Canada
Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, Red Star of Belgrade (Serbia); Maxime Crepeau, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); James Pantemis, CF Montreal.
Defenders: Samuel Adekugbe, Hatayspor FC (Turkey); Derek Cornelius, Panetolikos FC (Greece); Doneil Henry, Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea); Alistair Johnston, Nashville SC (MLS); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Kamal Miller, CF Montreal (MLS); Steven Vitoria, Moreirense FC (Portugal).
Midfielders: Stephen Eustaquio, FC Pacos de Ferreira (Portugal); Atiba Hutchinson, Besiktas JK (Turkey); Mark-Anthony Kaye, Colorado Rapids (MLS); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Samuel Piette, CF Montreal (MLS); David Wotherspoon, St. Johnstone FC (Scotland).
Forward: Tajon Buchanan, New England Revolution (MLS); Lucas Cavallini, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Jonathan David, Lille OSC (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Cyle Larin, Besiktas JK (Turkey); Liam Millar, FC Basel (Switzerland); Ike Ugbo, KRC Genk (Belgium).
© 2021 The Canadian Press
Reference-globalnews.ca